SAN JOSE, Calif. – For the first time in program history, three West Virginia University women’s soccer student-athlete have garnered All-America accolades from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

 

Seniors Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence were named to the first team, while junior Michaela Abam was placed on the second team.

 

A defender and native of Brampton, Ontario, Buchanan’s award is her fourth career honor and third straight first-team recognition. She is the first Mountaineer in program history to earn All-America status in each season at WVU.

 

Lawrence, a midfielder and native of Toronto, lands on the first team for the second straight season.

 

Buchanan and Lawrence, semifinalists for the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy, also earned Senior CLASS Award All-America accolades earlier today; Buchanan was named to the first team, and Lawrence was named to the second.

 

Today’s second-team award is the first career All-America honor for Abam, a forward and Houston native.

 

In total, five Mountaineers have earned eight first-team accolades since 2000. Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown has coached 13 players to 21 NSCAA All-America honors in 21 seasons.

 

The four-time reigning Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Buchanan has helped the Mountaineer back line record a program-record 17 shutouts. The unit has allowed just nine goals in 25 matches. A two-time team captain, she shows nine points (3 G, 3 A) this season, including an assist in the team’s 1-0 win over No. 5-ranked Duke in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals on Nov. 26.

 

Lawrence paces the team with 10 assists, a single-season best and the third-best season showing in program history. She ranks fourth on the team with 16 points (3 G, 10 A). A team captain and four-time All-Big 12 First Team honoree, Lawrence shows 29 career helpers and needs four more to match the program record of 33, set by current associate head coach Lisa Stoia (2000-03).

 

The 2016 co-Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Abam paces the team and ranks No. 31 nationally with 31 points (11 G, 9 A). The 11 goals, also a team high, are the 10th-most scored by an individual this season. The nine assists are a single-season high and rank second on the team. Abam, a two-time All-Big 12 First Team honoree, sits at No. 8 in the WVU record book with 31 career goals.

 

The No. 1-ranked and top-seeded Mountaineers make their NCAA College Cup debut against No. 6-ranked and second-seeded North Carolina today, at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT, at Avaya Stadium.

 

The match will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU, with Jenn Hildreth on the call and Julie Foudy providing color.

 

The Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG will broadcast the match locally on WZST-FM, 100.9, Morgantown/Fairmont. Out-of-market Mountaineer fans can catch the broadcast online at WVUsports.com or on the TuneIn app through their mobile devices. Andrew Caridi will handle the call.

 

Friday’s winner will meet the winner of No. 2-seeds USC and Georgetown in the College Cup Final on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. ET, at Avaya Stadium.

 

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter.